The American Red Cross Panhandle Plains Chapter kicked off its 10th annual Sound the Alarm initiative by installing free smoke alarms and sharing home fire safety in Denver City, Texas on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. In partnership with the Denver City Volunteer Fire Department, Red Cross volunteers, Texas Tech University Red Cross Club and Texas Tech University Alpha Phi Omega spent the day making Denver City residents homes safer from fires.
To help kick off the day, Denver City Mayor Tommy Hicks proclaimed Saturday, October 12, 2024, as American Red Cross Sound the Alarm Day in Denver City.
"I am honored to be here with you all. I am honored to present this proclamation to you. You all have come into our community to take care of our folks. Our community members' homes are safer today than they were yesterday, and I thank you all for that," shared Mayor Hicks.
Thanks to the collaborative outreach of the Denver City Volunteer Fire Department with the Red Cross, 221 smoke alarms were installed in 58 homes, making 177 residents safer.
Denver City Mayor Tommy Hick with Red Cross Disaster Program Manager Laura Davis after he presented the Sound the Alarm Day proclamation.
A Community Changed
“Un voluntario me inscribió la semana pasada para recibir una nueva alarma en mi casa. Me siento feliz y más seguro teniendo una alarma de humo que funciona. El mío dejó de trabajar hace un tiempo,” Lupe Burciaga, residente de Denver City, dijo.
Translated to English: “A volunteer signed me up last week to receive a new alarm in my house. I feel happy and safer having a smoke alarm that works. Mine stopped working a while ago,” said Denver City resident Lupe Burciaga.
Lupe Burciaga receives fire safety information from volunteer Angelica Infante while volunteer Julian Campos installs Burciaga’s new smoke alarms.
Jared Franklin received a door hanger on his door one Saturday about the free smoke alarm event. Being brand new homeowners, Franklin and his girlfriend knew they needed to make their home safer for their daughter. As soon as he saw the door hanger, Franklin signed up.
“I used to get into things as a kid, so my parents made sure we always had working smoke alarms,” Franklin shared with a laugh. “It makes me much more comfortable knowing my daughter will be safer. I had no idea you were here, and it’s awesome seeing you guys coming in and making sure we’re taken care of.”
Emma Jameson and other volunteers ensure the Franklin home is safer with new smoke alarms installed.
Seminole firefighter Kevin Long shared his experience in working with the Panhandle Plains Red Cross by saying, “One of the best feelings as a firefighter is when you get to help the Red Cross by installing smoke detectors in people’s homes. There are that many more people who are a little safer now because they had them installed.”
Seminole Firefighter Kevin Long installs a smoke alarm in Marcella Helm’s home.
“It amazes me how the Red Cross cares for our community and can do this [install smoke alarms] for people who can’t or who need it,” said Marcella Helm.
Denver City’s instillation event came at a great time for Cristine Galvan, who had almost experienced a house fire a few months ago. Galvan’s family was visiting when one of her family members left a wet towel on her bathroom heater before they went to bed. They woke up the next day to smoke overflowing from the bathroom.
Galvan shared, “Thankfully, a fire did not start. Now, we are blessed to have a working smoke alarm to alert us if something should ever happen. Thank y’all.”
Volunteers Lauren Bravard, Emma Jameson and Kevin Long installing smoke alarms in Cristine Galvan’s home.
Denver City Event Part of National Campaign
Sound the Alarm is part of the National Red Cross Home Fire campaign. Since the creation of the campaign in 2014, smoke alarms installed by Red Cross volunteers and partners have helped save more than 2,165 lives.
Locally, the Red Cross has installed more than 3,951 free smoke alarms and made more than 1,633 households safer in the Panhandle Plains Region, which encompasses 44 counties including Yoakum County.
Home fires claim seven lives every day, but having working smoke alarms can cut the risk of death by half.
That’s why the American Red Cross is rallying volunteers to install free smoke alarms nationwide, as part of our Sound the Alarm events.
This year we’ll install free smoke alarms, create escape plans and share fire safety information. Join us for a rewarding day at a Sound the Alarm event near you.
To join the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign to make homes safer from fires, visit RedCross.org/volunteer. If you cannot afford to purchase smoke alarms or are physically unable to install a smoke alarm, visit RedCross.org/NTXHMS or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to request a smoke alarm.
Check out the Denver City Sound the Alarm photos at the Red Cross North Texas Region’s Flickr album.
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